Oblivious
by XxScarletxRosexX
Summary: What would happen if Erza had stumbled across Jellal when she was hit by Doriate's retrogression magic? How will Jellal react? How will Erza escape her mortification? (My first Jerza one-shot! Rated T for language. R&R please for more! )


**Link for dA:** xxscarletxrosexx.

deviantart.

com/art/Oblivious-Jerza-One-shot-570394105

 **(c) Erza Scarlet, Jellal Fernandes, Minerva, and Doriate belongs to Hiro Mashima's "Fairy Tail"**

 **Summary:**

What would happen if Erza had stumbled across Jellal when she was hit by Doriate's retrogression magic? How will Jellal react? How will Erza escape her mortification?

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Requested by: HeavenlyBodiedJellal (Tumblr)

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A towering crystal stood uprooted in her path. When she stared into the shard, a reflection of an innocent pre-adolescent face with large umber eyes and scarlet hair reflected back. Her lips fell ajar-taking note of the ruby locks shrouding the right half of her face while the other portion swung languidly around her petite waist-of what appears to be her reflection. The sound of her fluttering skirt and steel armor impacting the Earth confirmed that she was not hallucinating as she plastered her hands against the glass while draped in a loose, sleeveless ebony turtleneck shirt, and shrunken dark boots.

 _I'm… I'm a child!_

Unconvinced, her hands touched her face, only to see her reflection mimic the same actions. But the most disbelieving factor had to be the most notable asset her body had showcased: her large breasts. She clasped them with incredulity, and dared to lift up her overgrown shirt as if it were to change anything. Alas, the result had been the same. She was her pre-adolescent age once again. Paling and panic increasing, she hollered, "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!"

In attempt to keep her head, she considered owning any armor to support her given size, that is until she had taken her first step, slipped, rolled down a hill and face-planted on the white carpeted Earth. She stared and contemplated at a frozen statue of what appears to be a giant. Without a beat, her mind continued her train of thought as if the incident had not taken place. As she linked her reduced state to her clumsy actions, her mind began to wander to an important matter.

"If I stood next to Wendy…"

"Now it's like I'm the big sister, huh?" she pictured the blue pig-tailed dragon slayer smiled happily and clasped her hands. "Well… just a little bit."

"And if Natsu and Gray saw me like this…"

"Let's fight, Erza!" the pink haired dragon slayer smiled menacingly as he cracked his knuckles. While his ice wizard companion grinned just as equally terrifyingly declared, "Now we can win!"

 _No!_ Her ebony eyes shut tightly and shuddered, as droplets of perspiration formed over her brows. _That's nothing… If Jellal saw me like this…_

"Hmph," a sapphire haired man sighed uninterestedly as he stared at her vulnerable form. "Sorry, but I'm not into little girls."

"NO!" Erza exploded horrified.

 _I have to get back to normal, no matter what!_

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How she had managed to escape Minerva's wrath had to be a miracle after being casted by Doriate's retrogression magic. But this had been the last of her worries as she sprinted deep into the forest. Regardless of who she ran into, it was better than seeing a pair of cold shoulders belonging to a certain mage. She could still hear his voice echo in the wake of her mind as he strode away from her reach and faded out of her sight.

It's alright, Erza, she chastised herself with clenched mouth and eyes, and a rambunctious shake of her head, sending her scarlet locks in a graceful disarray as they swung about. He's not here. Jellal won't know anything. Just as long as you find a way to reverse this curse.

In attempt to clear her mind, her eyes fell into small slits as venomous words drowned her mind. Wait until I get my hands on you, Doriate! I'll gladly send you off to hell for messing with a member of Fairy Tail!

Her instincts had sent her bare feet into the forest, believing that the mastermind would prefer to remain camouflaged while his pawns were scattered across the board to eliminate their enemies. Given her state, she wouldn't stand a chance against Doriate in a battle, even if she were to approach him through means of assassination. Armed with a small blade, it would prove to be a large disadvantage on top of her reduced and dysfunctional abilities. But, Erza Scarlet was not stupid. She was never the type to jump into battle without thoroughly analyzing possible outcomes. She was aware that the possibility of death was high, and after Minerva's report regarding her friends, she couldn't bear leaving her comrades to parry their lives through means of survival. If she could find Doriate and disrupt his concentration, perhaps she could buy time for her Nakama.

Too late to back out, she sensed a powerful individual within ten o'clock range. A sense of familiarity had washed over her almost immediately, but it was too late to back out. Her legs wobbled as her heels dug into the scruff of earth. Had she not braced herself for the sudden impact, her legs would have crumbled. Despite her effort, inertia had sent her upper body forward, landing face-planted once again with an audible "Oof!" as air winded from her lungs.

Resting on a branch, his back pressed against a glazed bark, a surprised young man with sapphire hair sat up abruptly. He had expected an individual heading his way, and had been prepared with a surprise attack despite his unguarded front. His enemy was weak, despite racing at the speed of a runaway cart, but there was an air of familiarity to it. When a child had emerged before him, Jellal's counter attack stood ground. Still, he kept his guard in case of a surprise attack. He was aware that children, because of their pure and innocent image, have the highest advantage to strike their opponents at a close-range. And yet, his resolution shuddered with one glance at the child's brilliant, scarlet hair.

She had muttered something incoherent against the glazed Earth before quickly getting to her feet, her injuries quickly neglected. With one fluid turn, she avoided his eyes with a cascade of her radiant tresses shrouding her face. As she was preparing herself to return in the direction she emerged from, a single word left his lips impulsively before he could stop himself.

"Erza!"

Her body had froze in place almost immediately to his response, leaving a tensed frame in the aftermath. His heart began to trod in a rhythmic manner, escalating as he jumped off the branch and approached the scarlet haired woman. His heart had picked up pace when he rounded her, noticing how her head slowly hung forward and prevented him from getting a closer look at the child's face. When his strides fell to a stop before her, the child shook her head.

"Y-You are mistaken," a gentle voice stuttered. "I-I-I am not E-Erza."

 _Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit._ A train of a consecutive word clouded her mind as her body froze before the guild master of Crime Sorcière. She could feel a sheen of bullets populating her rigid face as Jellal continued to stare her down.

There was no mistake that the girl had resembled a child form of the woman he loved. The rhythm of his pounding heart flooded his ears, while a small smile squirmed its way at the corner of his lips. Falling to a squat, the young guild master took better observation of the child. Indeed, he spotted Erza's face on the child's skittish and sullen expression, but by her distraught mien, Jellal decided to digress his discoveries and kept it to himself. Instead, he assumed the role of an ingenuously, mistaken stranger.

"Ah… my apologies. I've seem to mistaken you for someone I know," his honeyed, baritone voice coaxed. "Is it alright if you can look at me? I promise, I won't hurt you."

Visibly swallowing a desert, the child hesitantly and reluctantly obeyed his request. Her chin slowly untucked from her chest to bring her head to level his, while her chocolate eyes stubbornly remained glued to the gelid Earth.

In attempt for small talk, the first sentence that popped into his mind had been ,"Did anyone ever tell you that you have beautiful hair?" Gently he reached forward and grasped several tendrils between his thumb and forefinger, and gently caressed. "Brilliant and strong. A startling scarlet... Such beautiful scarlet hair…" Then ever so gently, he brought her hair to his lips then to caress against his cheek.

Erza's first mistake had been running in the direction of the man she wanted to avoid. Her second mistake was locking her gaze to those hazel irises. They were holding her eyes with such kind and gentle intensity that it felt as if she were being sucked in. She was moved to silent awe. While her escalating heart drowned her ears and a pool of warmth flooded her face.

He wanted to touch her.

He wanted to bury her face against his chest.

Anything-as long as he was able to touch her for tangible proof of her presence before him. Erza's expression was driving him to take action of these impure and selfish temptations. It was his left hand that had broken his dazed trance. He had released the scarlet strands when he reached out to cup her face midway, when the shuddering limb gained his attention. To his reluctance, Jellal withdrew from her.

Catching herself dumbfounded, Erza's chocolate eyes dilated with chagrin as her gaze continued to lock on a profusely blushing mage.

Keeping his eyes locked on a miscellaneous forest of frosted trees, Jellal cleared his throat gauchely as he apologized softly, "Sorry."

"I-it's alright..." the child replied just as gauchely.

The atmosphere remained silent except for the occasional bone-chilling, howling wind that sliced between the two. Recalling her loose attire and bare feet, Erza had forgotten about her exposed state in this frigid weather. It seemed as if all the warmth had been sapped away the moment Jellal's warm eyes and gentle touch were severed. Without meaning to, Erza began to shiver and sneezed a high pitched squeal.

"Come here," the tall man beckoned her with a single hand.

Without hesitation, she reached for him and was suddenly pulled against his chest, his arms locking her in place while her cheek pressed against his. As her mind registered, and her mouth quivered shakily to express her concealed embarrassment, Jellal had cut her off with his observation.

"Stay like this for a while. You must be very cold."

She could feel heart pounding erratically while her cheeks flooded with warmth. She shook her head once and attempted to squirm from his grasp, but Jellal had not allowed her to have her way. Despite her mortified state, her body had fell limp in his arms. She wondered to herself when the last time Jellal had ever held her like this. She recognized this gentleness over a number of occasions: there had been numerous times when they resides in the Tower of Heaven as kids; he had held her like this when Etherion was launched to obliterate the tower years later; when he had lost his memories; when he protected her against Midnight; when they reunited before the Grand Magic Games after her seven year slumber on Tenrou Island; and during their day off the competition at Ryuuzetsu Land on the "Love-Love" slide. Yes... they were nostalgic, and the genuine warmth that surged through her from Jellal's touch, reminded her that he was here in tangible form. She could touch him... she could kiss him... but right now she wasn't Erza Scarlet, the woman that could love him at this moment. But a child of her pre-adolescent years.

"Azure," she breathed out. "My name is Azure." Like the color of your hair.

"Azure..." the man smiled softly, his eyes expressing an amused glimmer, "what a beautiful name... Did your parents love the color of the sky?"

The child nodded, playing along. In attempt to shroud her embarrassment, Erza wrapped her arms around his neck, to prevent him from seeing her face as she inquired, "And this person... Erza? Are they someone important to you?"

Just as Erza had predicted, it was Jellal's turn to recline and looks over in her direction, but with her arms locking his head in places, he remained looking over her shoulder. However, her refusal to meet his gaze could not prevent him from feeling her scalding cheek and pounding heart. He was glad, to say the least, that she wasn't looking at his flustered face as he made up his mind.

"Yes..." his voice dropped to a silky murmur, "It's her words that gave me the courage... It became my light that had guided me to the right path again. I'm grateful to be the person I am because of Erza."

Moved, Erza began to pull away in attempt to see his face, however Jellal had tightened his hold on her once again. A sudden cry in the distance had Erza recall her previous intentions, and she began to squirm again, except with different motivation. Learning this sly trick from one of her favorite shoujos, Erza pressed her lips against Jellal's cheek. With that split second of disorientation, Erza had managed to break free from his grasp. The body warmth she shared with Jellal had also begun to sap away as her body re-exposed herself in the cold.

"T-thank you," she managed to utter with a short bow before sprinting off in the direction towards the hills.

"Azure!"

Erza had ignored his cries, despite her given state. She knew Jellal would be willing to assist her after seeing her reduced state, but she couldn't. This was a battle she had to face by herself. Jellal's indifference to her reduced state only reminded her that she had people who depended on her, who had faith in her, and who she wanted to protect. Despite the nipping cold, it could not wipe the tingling sensation from her confident grin.

From a distance, Jellal smiled sullenly to himself. He had realized how much time he had wasted away at the Tower of Heaven. Had he not been driven by the madness to revive Zeref, he could have been the one to stand beside Erza. He could have witnessed her growth from their childhood years to present day. Cruel fate or coincidence, he was grateful that he was able to see a part of Erza from a time he had missed. He whispered her name as a parting goodbye with only the howling wind who would ever hear it.

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 **A/N:**

 **A special request for HeavenlybodiedJellal, 1 of the 8 dear followers on tumblr for helping me get to 500! :D**  
 **This is my first Jerza story :D I hope this somewhat meets your expectation ^^**

 **I wonder if anyone gets the Azure part... it's basically Erza backwards just the U's thrown in if you were to pronounce it ^^**


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